T&T closing its downtown Toronto location

T&T Supermarket is closing its only downtown Toronto store--a 41,000-sq.-ft. space in the city's Port Lands district, which is in the beginning stages of a major transformation.

Loblaw's Asian specialty grocery chain announced Tuesday that the doors to its 222 Cherry Street location would close Jan. 30. In a press release, T&T said it was actively searching for another downtown location to serve the area. Starting in January, however, customers can shop the store online.

“I want to sincerely thank our Cherry Street customers and colleagues for their loyal patronage and support over the past 12 years,” said Tina Lee, CEO of T&T Supermarkets in the release. “We are truly saddened to leave this location, but are committed to serving our downtown customers despite the closure.”

The store sits on a mostly-industrial stretch of land along Toronto's Eastern waterfront, which will be transformed into a mixed use community with residential, office and parkland space as part of a $1.2-billion revitalization project that is expected to be complete by 2024.

Founded in 1993 in Vancouver by Cindy and Jack Lee, today T&T operates 27 stores across British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. The chain was bought by Loblaw in 2009.